The disturbing ordeal faced by two women, at the heart of an investigation involving five players from the Sydney Swans AFL club, has been branded as “abhorrent” by their legal representative. The lawyer further revealed that the women are now living in fear for their safety.
Attorney John Karantzis, representing two out of three women allegedly involved in the incident, has accused the Swans’ management of lacking full transparency. He claims that beyond the five players, more than five men were present in the hotel room.
Sydney Swans disciplined five players — Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, Riley Bice, and James Jordon — barring them for the remainder of the AFL season. This decision followed their violation of club standards at East Melbourne’s Pullman Hotel earlier this week.
Detectives from the Victoria Police Sex Crimes Squad have launched an investigation. However, no charges have been filed thus far.
Karantzis maintained that while more than five men were present during the incident, he declined to specify whether any other personnel from the Swans were involved during the time in question.
“It’s more than five, that’s for sure,” he told Melbourne radio station 3AW on Friday.
Swans coach fronts press
Speaking publicly for the first time since the five players were suspended, Swans coach Dean Cox said at a press conference on Friday that he was unaware of the claim that more men were involved, but the club was working with police to determine the details.
“I cannot comment on what happened in the room. It is a police investigation,” Cox said before adding he was not in the room.
The Swans later issued a statement saying only the five players reported were in the room and condemned “misinformation” being circulated.
“We have every reason to consider that reports to the contrary are simply false,” the statement said.
Cox conceded he and other club leaders needed to take responsibility for rebuilding the Swans’ reputation.
“I’ve been at the football club for nine years. Every person within those four walls we value extremely highly and they have a massive say on our culture as a group,” he said.
“We understand as leaders we need to lead that culture, but what we are going to do is back ourselves, and we’re going to move forward and we’re going to strive as strongly as we possibly can to repay the faith.”
Lawyer says ‘line was crossed’
Karantzis said the two women he represented were in hiding and fearing violence.
“With what has been alleged, these women were subjected to the most disgusting actions and behaviour I have ever heard about in my 28 years as a lawyer,” he said.
“These women already had a difficult job.
“And what they were subjected to, it is alleged, was demeaning, abhorrent and simply not moral or acceptable.”
Karantzis, asked if the club hadn’t yet been fully transparent, replied: “That is my understanding.”
He couldn’t detail specifics, citing the ongoing investigation which he said would take some time to complete.
“The line was crossed and unfortunately, what they’ve been subjected to … I literally cannot say it on the radio,” he said.
“They (the two women he represents) are suffering severe stress and anxiety.”
Calls for apology
Public statements from the Swans hierarchy had failed to include a direct apology to the women, the lawyer said.
“An apology would be a good start … and really, probably full transparency as to who was involved and what occurred,” he said.
Karantzis expected further action from the AFL, which described the club-imposed suspension of the five Swans players as “appropriate”.
“I’m sure once the AFL is fully apprised of what happened, and that may be through the court process … or through their own investigations, the AFL would make the appropriate sanctions,” he said.
The AFL’s integrity unit is staging its own investigation.